Improvement in ceilings for stages



ttul-it Sitter @atari (tie,

JOHN w. DNNE, or NEW YORK, N. Y

Letters Patent No. 113,277, dated 4, 187.1.

IMPROVEMENT iN cElLlNes FOR' STAGES.

The Schedule referred to in thse Letters Patent and making pari: of thesame.

To all whom it may concern:

Figure l represents a side view, partly Vinl section,

of my improved hipped ceiling for stages. v

Figure 2 is a face view of the same, showing 1t sus# pended when not inuse.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of the same. Similar letters ofreference .indicate corresponding parts.

VThis invention relates to an improvement in ceil`A ings'which are to beused on the stagesof theaters, opera-houses, &c., to complete andperfect the display of scenery.l

Complete ceilings for scenery were heretofore only made fiat, and couldnot be produced in single pieces, arched or hipped.

My invention consists in the construction of jointed ceilings, which areby lines or cords suspended from hatteus or rigid bars, so thatI theycan, by varying the lengths of said lines, be brought to any'desiredshape.

The .good effect of scenery on stages is, by the introduction of arched,hipped, or otherwise bent ceilings,

materially increased, and the complete 'imitation of every style ofarchitecture made possible.

A in the drawing represents the sheet or canvas, which is painted on itslower surface in imitation of a fceling.

from strong bars" or battens C G, which hang by ropes e from a windlass,D.

The lines d are, by snap-hooks f f, fastened to small loops g on the'cross-pieces, so as to be readily detachable.

The -lines d d are .of 'such varying lengths fthat, when the ceiling issuspended from the horizontal battens O, it will, on the joints c c, bebent to the requisite shape, as in Iig. 1.

For arched ceilings the cross-piecesareeither jointed throughout or madeflexible, to bend of theirown weight, and all lines di'erin length,becoming larger toward the ends.

For hipped-ceilings, as in lig. 1,-the lines d arejof equal lengths,except at the ends, wherethey are lengthened, as shown.

' By means of the ropes ethe ceiling can be raised and lowered at will,to be brought tothe proper place on the uprightl scenery.

v When the ceiling is to be-removed from sight, it is lowered to thestage and detached from the1 battens .0, which can be easily done by theaforesaid snaphooks.

It is then, by other lines hh, suspended at one side from avertically-adjustable horizontal-bar, E, and hoisted, so'as to hangvertically, as in figs. 2 and 3.

When thus hanging it isquite straight, the joints'Y in the cross-piecesallowing it to hang so from the bar E.

` The ceiling can now be carried out of Vthe way and hung between theother scenery, and does not occupy A l more room than any other flatpiece of' equal extent.

' When to be used again, it is lowered to the stage` and detached fromE, to be refastened to O, and ele'- vated to its. position.

Having thus described my invention- I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. lThe jointed-ceiling Ior stage'Is,-'suspe`ndedfrom lines d el, of varying lengths, to thereby receive the desiredshape, as set forth.

2.4 The bar E, combined with the jointed ceiling,l

f Witnesses:

A. V. BRIEsnN, ALEX. F. ROBERTS.

